


A lie that tells the truth

by barbitone



Series: Voltron Fanfiction [39]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, Dubious Consent, Humiliation kink, Lotor (Voltron) Being an Asshole, M/M, Master/Slave, Morally Ambiguous Character, Power Dynamics, Rough Sex, Sendak (Voltron) Being an Asshole, there are no good boys here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 08:44:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18332609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barbitone/pseuds/barbitone
Summary: Everyone in the Galra Empire thinks they know how things stand, who Lotor is, who Sendak is. Everyone is wrong. They think Lotor is the slave and Sendak is the Emperor- but of course, that was only how it had started.





	A lie that tells the truth

**Author's Note:**

> Idk what to tell you guys, potentially dark fic, but in the grand scheme of things Lotor and Sendak are both fucked up and somehow it works out???
> 
> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 

* * *

 

The soldiers shoot him dirty looks as he passes, walking at Sendak’s heels. They laugh behind their hands about the fallen prince, the halfbreed slave.

But Lotor is accustomed to such things- accustomed to being ridiculed and disregarded, unappreciated and undervalued, treated like something less-than. It’s been this way his whole life and over time he’s learned to ignore it, and then to enjoy it, and now it’s almost a craving. They’d only laugh harder if they knew how deeply he wanted their disregard, and that would only make him want it more, enjoy it more.

As Sendak sits on the throne Lotor kneels easily beside him, and he’s not faking his content smile as Sendak drops his hand to stroke his hair. He’s cold in his diaphanous robes, the floor is like ice under his bare feet- and that only adds to the delicious humiliation of it all.

The audience proceeds without incident. After the initial stir and titters that arise at seeing the treacherous prince on his knees beside the rightful Emperor no one pays Lotor much attention at all. No one but Sendak, absently stroking Lotor’s hair.

That’s just as well. He’s used to living in the shadows, on the edges- of right and wrong, truth and lies, justice and cruelty. He’s comfortable here, safe behind his dirty little secrets, a spider’s web he’s spent his whole life weaving.

As he follows Sendak back to the Imperial Chambers after the audience he contemplates the latest addition to his web- the biggest and most delicious secret by far.

Everyone in the Galra Empire thinks they know how things stand, who Lotor is, who Sendak is. Everyone is wrong. They think Lotor is the slave and Sendak is the Emperor- but of course, that was only how it had started.

When they enter their chambers Lotor smirks and pulls off his decorative golden collar, letting it drop to the floor.

“Strip,” he orders and Sendak moves to do as he’s told without hesitation. Lotor walks over to sprawl over the chaise, watching intently as Sendak pulls off his armor and then the tight black undersuit. The collar Sendak wears under his clothes isn’t decorative at all, it’s a utilitarian thing of Lotor’s design. Still, it’s striking in its own way- marked with accents of orange and blue. If something’s worth doing- it’s worth doing well. If something’s worth building, it’s worth building with style.

“You were to order Ranveig’s execution today,” Lotor says, “not send him further afield. That wasn’t what we discussed. _Bad boy.”_

The collar activates at the voice command and Sendak grunts at the resulting shock, staggering a little before he straightens to stand at attention.

“Well? Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“I’m sorry, Prince Lotor,” Sendak says.

“I know how you can make it up to me,” Lotor says with a grin, spreading his legs wider and rucking up his robes. “Come here, darling.”

Sendak drops to his knees before him, taking his thighs in his powerful hands to push his legs open wider. His hands are almost big enough to wrap around his thighs completely. He could break Lotor in half, but instead here he is, serving on his knees like a good little slave. It’s intoxicating

He bends his head down to take Lotor’s cock in his mouth and Lotor sighs, sinking back against the chaise. _“Good boy,”_ he purrs and doesn’t miss the way Sendak shivers as the collar sends a wave of pleasure through him.

Lotor lets himself enjoy Sendak’s mouth, his _obedience._

“Killing you would be too merciful. Once I’m emperor, I’m going to keep you as my slave!” Sendak had yelled at him on the steps of the Kral Zera.

Lotor hadn’t answered then, even as the thought of it pierced him with hot anticipation. He still isn’t sure if he lost the duel fair and square or if some deep desire made him move a little slower, hit a little lighter- just enough that Sendak ended up with the upper hand. No matter the intent the result was clear enough. Sendak had taken the throne, and he’d taken Lotor as well- just as he’d promised.

But for all of Lotor’s dark desires, for all the things he took sick pleasure from, he had no interest in being at anyone’s mercy for long.

Sendak should have stripped him naked and wrapped him in chains, broken his legs, his hands. Sendak should have drugged him or shoved him in a chamber too small for him to move in. But Sendak didn’t have that sort of foresight, much less imagination. He’d been distracted by going after the Paladins, the fleeing Galra, Ranveig’s superweapon. He’d left Lotor in a cell for three days before summoning him to his chambers.

 _Three days-_ alone and in full armor. It was insulting. Opening the shackles was child’s play, and afterwards Lotor barely needed an hour to strip the components he needed from his suit, and then an hour after that to reassemble them.

“How _do_ you keep finding yourself in these situations, darling,” Lotor murmurs, stroking his fingers gently over the soft fur on Sendak’s ears. He trembles but doesn’t pause in what he’s doing, he knows better by now.

“First you belonged to my father, then the witch… now me. You’re so good at being loyal, obedient. It’s as though you were made for this.”

Sendak shivers but keeps going, and Lotor laughs, whispering _“good boy,”_ once more just to watch Sendak fighting to hold back a moan. He can’t, and Lotor feels the sound of it rumbling around his cock.

“Stop,” he says, planting his bare foot on Sendak’s chest to push him away. “I want more than that tonight.”

“What would you like?” Sendak asks, looking up at him.

Lotor smiles as he strokes Sendak’s face, the scar over his right eye. He’d always hated Sendak’s hideous prosthetic, and at the earliest opportunity he’d had it replaced with something closer to his natural eye. It works even better than the one before, and only serves to enhance his naturally handsome features. He’d replaced the arm too- and he admires his own handiwork as Sendak kneels before him. No longer the hideous oversized thing that the witch had considered to be an _upgrade,_ Sendak wears an arm of sleek design and elegance and more advanced hidden features than any Galra engineer could ever come up with.

The Galra have one-track minds- bigger is better, strength above all, victory or death. Lotor knows better. Strength is more than just the size of your muscles, your fleet. Lotor is strong in a way no one’s ever been able to understand.

Sendak waits obediently, waits to serve, and Lotor’s smile widens into a satisfied smirk.

Sendak had been so _proud_ back then, on the first night. Once Lotor had been brought to his rooms and shoved to his knees he’d gloated for what felt like hours. He strutted around like a peacock with his speeches about how the great Galra Empire had no use for treachery, for scheming, for halfbreeds like _Lotor._

It had been fun, for a while. It had been so many of the things he’d wanted- degradation and scorn, insults and abuse. It would only made his inevitable victory that much more delicious. When Lotor grew tired of it he’d provoked Sendak into hitting him, and once he was close enough he’d slapped the shock-collar he’d made around Sendak’s meaty neck. He’d laughed at Sendak’s delightfully disgruntled expression, at his futile efforts to rip the collar away.

“Turnabout, darling,” he’d said. “You really should have known better.”

And then he’d shown him in painstaking detail how things were going to work between them.

“I’d like to fuck you,” Lotor says with a slow smirk.

Sendak should be used to it by now, but still he flushes, his back stiffening.

“Now now,” Lotor croons, leaning forward to stroke his face. “Don’t you want to be a _good boy?”_

Sendak closes his eyes as he tries to fight back the wave of pleasure. But this is something he can’t fight or hide. He’s naked at Lotor’s feet and his cock is standing proudly at attention, leaking to the rug.

“How- how would you like me, Prince Lotor?”

Lotor tilts his head to the side. “On the bed, on your hands and knees. Prepare yourself for me and wait.”

Sendak swallows and doesn’t meet Lotor’s eyes as he stands and turns to walk away.

Lotor watches him go with narrowed eyes. One day he’ll tire of this game, but not yet. For now it feels like bliss- having it both ways, having _everything._ The sweet dirty pleasure of playing the slave in public and the master in private, being the Prince and the Emperor.

He stalls for a while, letting Sendak squirm while he waits. He pours himself a drink and sips on it slowly while going over a few reports.

Sendak had tried to fight him, at first. Lotor’s hands were somewhat tied while they were in public and Sendak had tried to take advantage- slap him around to vent his rage, try to leave him in the brig or get rid of him outright.

Lotor showed him the error of his ways and he fell into place soon enough. He’d been almost disappointed- the battle of wills was easily the most delicious part.

Sendak is pliant and obedient when Lotor enters the bedroom at last. He’s presenting his ass like a whore and Lotor smirks as he walks closer, running his claws gently over Sendak’s thigh to see him quiver.

 _“Good boy,”_ Lotor murmurs and Sendak whimpers, his heavy cock jerking between his thighs.

Lotor would rather Sendak fuck him, but he’s a simple man and Lotor doesn’t want him to be confused about his place. But maybe- maybe soon, once their roles are more concrete.

He lines himself up and pushes in without warning as Sendak grunts and drops his head to his hands. Lotor starts slow- he’s not a cruel man. But he’s not feeling particularly patient, either. It’s not long before he’s pounding into Sendak brutally, leaving scratches over his hips with his claws as Sendak grunts under him. His cock is leaking and Lotor reaches around to give it a squeeze.

Sendak huffs out a soft sigh and shivers, his body tightening. For a moment Lotor feels real pleasure, and then it’s past and he just feels- annoyed, unsatisfied. He grits his teeth and shoves Sendak down to the bed with a hand on the back of his neck as he starts stroking him in earnest.

He could make Sendak come from the collar, one more whispered _good boy_ would probably do it, but that would be too easy. Boring. Lotor angles himself to hit Sendak’s prostate instead and knows he finds it by the way Sendak clenches his hands in the sheets. There’s a sound of tearing fabric and Lotor grins, folding over Sendak’s back to bite at his shoulder.

They probably make a ridiculous picture. Sendak’s so much bigger than him, stronger- and yet here he is, writhing on Lotor’s cock. He’d be begging for it if his pride would allow it. Maybe that was something to strive for- making Sendak beg.

Lotor’s lost in his thoughts and almost doesn’t notice when Sendak comes with a sharp gasp. He doesn’t notice that Sendak’s cock is softening in his hand until Sendak shifts restlessly, a sound like a whine breaking free from the back of his throat. It sounds primal, like it’s being torn out of him, and Lotor lets him go before abruptly pulling out.

He’s still hard, but he’s bored of this now. Maybe he’s bored of all of this.

“Are you displeased with me?” Sendak asks as he sits up.

“No,” Lotor bites out. “But I’d be more pleased with Ranveig’s head mounted on my wall. You’ll take care of it.”

Sendak tilts his head to the side, watching him with narrowed eyes. “If you’re not satisfied with our arrangement, why not change it?”

“I’m perfectly satisfied with our _arrangement_ ,” Lotor snarls.

Sendak seems languid and satisfied, cowed, until he suddenly isn’t. The shift happens too quickly to mark, to fight against, as Sendak grabs Lotor by the wrist and yanks him closer. Lotor gasps as the world shifts around him and he finds himself face-down on the bed with both his wrists behind his back, held tight in Sendak’s iron grip and Sendak’s bulk pushing him down, keeping him pinned. Fear and pleasure thrum through him, chased by anticipation and excitement. He’s not bored anymore.

“Is that so?” Sendak purrs into his ear. His flesh hand is wrapped around Lotor’s throat, his claws pressing dangerously against his skin, just on the verge of drawing blood.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Lotor demands. He’s harder than he’s ever been in his life, so hard he’s practically dizzy with it. “Let me up.”

“I don’t think you want me to do that.”

“Let me up before I make you.”

“Careful,” Sendak says, flexing his fingers threateningly. “You could give me a nasty shock, but then I might flinch and slit your throat. We wouldn’t want that, would we?”

“If I die you do too,” Lotor says with a slow smile. He’d made sure that part was clear at the very beginning. The small device he’d embedded under the skin of his forearm monitored his vitals and if he died it would send a signal to Sendak’s collar and that would be the end of him.

“Perhaps I’d rather kill both of us than live as a slave.”

“Lies,” Lotor says. “If that were true why did it take you months to do this? Let me up, before I get angry with you.”

“Now who’s lying?” Sendak asks, shoving Lotor’s thighs wide with his knees. ”You want this. You’re trembling like a leaf, and not with fear. I know you too well by now.”

Lotor closes his eyes and doesn’t bother denying it. This is the most exciting thing to have happened to him since the beginning of their little charade. Sendak tightens his hold and hauls him up so he’s sitting in his lap with Sendak’s chest a warm weight against his back.

“That’s what I thought,” Sendak murmurs as he looks down to see Lotor’s straining and leaking cock. “You could have been Emperor by now. You could have been rid of me and won the next Kral Zera. You could have taken a ship and left, or rigged the whole fleet to blow, or organized a rebellion. But what did you do? You chose to play the role of my slut, prancing around for all to see, kneeling barefoot next to the throne. _That_ is what you want. This, in the bedroom, between us- you do this out of duty. Because you think it keeps me in my place.”

“Doesn’t it?” Lotor huffs out a quiet laugh.

“You tell me, _Prince Lotor_.”

Lotor swallows heavily, letting himself sag back against Sendak behind him.

“Let us be finished with these games,” Sendak says. “Take off my collar. We can rule together, however you like.”

“Do you take me for a fool?” Lotor laughs. “As soon as I do that you’ll kill me- imprison me. Am I supposed to simply trust you? After what I’ve done?”

“And what have you done to me that was so terrible?” Sendak purrs and Lotor has to bite his lip so he doesn’t whimper as the sound of Sendak’s deep voice rumbling through him. “As far as the Galra are concerned I am their Emperor. And as far as what happens behind closed doors… Do you really think this is the first time I’ve been called to serve on my knees?”

“You wanted to do it to me first,” Lotor says, trying to remind himself as well as Sendak.

“Yes. I misjudged you. I thought you were weak, but I was wrong.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”

He shudders as Sendak’s hand leaves his throat and he trails his claws down Lotor’s chest. He can’t help the sharp intake of breath at being freed from the oppressive threat of claws at his neck, can’t help feeling slightly disappointed. He can end this now, he can overpower Sendak with a few words and move on.

But he doesn’t want to. He wants the feeling of Sendak’s hand trailing lower, the sharp dangerous points of his claws running over his skin. Lotor shifts restlessly and feels Sendak’s cock beneath him, stiff again and leaking.

“Tell me, how do you see this playing out?” Sendak asks. “You’re already bored of this little ruse, aren’t you. What happens when you can stand it no longer? What will you do? Where will you go? You have nothing else. Nowhere else.”

“You know nothing,” Lotor says. “I can go-”

“Back to your colony?” Sendak asks and Lotor freezes, his eyes wide. “That’s right,” Sendak chuckles, his hot breath ghosting over Lotor’s ear. “I have tricks too. I hacked Haggar’s database while I was on her ship, I know all about what you’ve been up to. How long do you think you can play house with your Alteans before you get bored of that too?

“This is the only place for you. At the head of the Empire, at my side. In my lap.”

Sendak finally brings his hand down to wrap around Lotor’s cock and he can’t contain a moan at that, shivering all over.

“That’s right, look at you,” Sendak says. “This is what you wanted all along, isn’t it.”

“I don’t-” Lotor gasps, fighting to focus as Sendak strokes him. “I don’t- I don’t want the witch around. I want you to get rid of her.”

“Her and her robeasts are the only things standing between the Empire and Voltron.”

“No,” Lotor manages. “No, my Sincline is more than a match for them- get rid of her. Get rid of her, and I’ll free you.”

“Yes, my prince,” Sendak says, and it feels genuine in a way Lotor isn’t expecting. And then he isn’t thinking of anything except Sendak’s strong arms around him, pushing him down to the bed with his ass in the air.

Sendak lines himself up and Lotor’s eyes widen in shock. “Wait, you aren’t just going to-“

“You fuck yourself often enough,” Sendak says dismissively. “You know how to open up and take it. Besides, you want to feel it. You want it to hurt.”

Even as Sendak says it Lotor knows it to be true, but that doesn’t mean he has to _admit_ it. But then Sendak is pushing in and Lotor cries out at the intrusion, the stretch. He tries to struggle away but Sendak is still holding his arms behind his back and there’s no getting away from him.

It burns and Lotor opens his mouth to pant desperately against the sheets even as Sendak pushes in deeper, merciless and unyielding. Lotor’s body yields instead, and then Sendak’s in to the hilt, his skin hot where he’s pressed to Lotor’s ass, the backs of his thighs.

Sendak doesn’t give him time to adjust but starts to roll his hips in smooth thrusts. He’s huge and Lotor isn’t quite ready for him, but somehow it’s exactly what he wants. It’s all he can do to stifle his moans and Sendak laughs, sharp and mocking, and Lotor nearly bites through his lip with how _good_ it sounds.

“Why do you bother trying to hide how much you love this? We’re the only ones here, and we both already know the truth.”

Sendak is right, and yet-

And yet somehow _that_ seems like it would be too much, crossing some line as though Lotor hasn’t already crossed all of them.

Sendak lets go of his wrists to grab his face, forcing two of his metal fingers into Lotor’s mouth. He recoils from the rough touch a little too late, Sendak is already pushing his mouth open wide. This time he can’t stifle the moan and Sendak laughs again.

“Look at you, how needy you are. This is what you’re made for.”

There are tears rising to Lotor’s eyes and this is the best he’s felt in a long time- centuries, millennia. The only thing he knows is Sendak’s cock pounding into his ass, Sendak’s words rumbling through his ears, Sendak’s fingers pushing far enough into his mouth to make fear shiver through him.

He’d be begging if he could form words but there’s nothing but sparks floating through his mind. All he can do is clutch at the sheets, and now it’s his claws tearing up the fabric with abandon.

“I’ve never had anyone as eager as you, as greedy for my cock. You take it so well, you’ll take anything I give you and beg for more, won’t you.”

A sob rips out of Lotor’s throat and then he’s shuddering and pushing back against Sendak’s bulk, into him.

“Come on,” Sendak growls as he reaches down to fist Lotor’s cock. “Come on, my little slut. Come for me.”

Lotor cries out as his body seizes, trembling and out of control. He sobs through his orgasm as Sendak keeps fucking him, as endless waves of pleasure crash over him and make him dizzy with the force of it. Sendak groans and there’s a burst of heat as Sendak finishes inside him, his movements slowing at last.

He pulls out, leaving Lotor wrecked and boneless as he gasps for breath. When he uncurls his fingers from the sheets they ache, but not as much as the rest of him. He feels raw and stripped down, used in the best possible way.

Everything feels too close, too intense. He turns with a sigh and throws a hand over his eyes to block out the suddenly too-bright lights and then startles at the feeling of a warm washcloth against his skin. When he looks up it’s to see Sendak carefully wiping down his stomach. He takes Lotor by the thigh to spread his legs wide and just- _looks_ for a while, before bringing the washcloth back to clean the slick mess between Lotor’s legs.

He’s not expecting the sudden gentleness and that, more than anything, fills him with a strange uncertainty.

“Were you serious?” Sendak asks quietly. “About the witch.”

It takes him a moment to figure out what Sendak is talking about, and then he smirks. “Yes.”

“Very well,” Sendak says, looking up at him. He’s smirking too. “Consider it done, my prince.”

 

* * *

 

Sendak executes the witch the very next day. And then he executes Ranveig, and everyone else on Lotor’s list of people who’d wronged him.

“What now?” Sendak asks when they’re back in their rooms that night, and Lotor tilts his head as he watches Sendak with narrowed eyes.

What now. A fine question. They’d made a bargain, of sorts, and Lotor would be a fool to keep it. But Sendak was right, that this arrangement had no way of working in the long term. Maybe it’s foolish, but Lotor’s willing to take the risk.

 _“You are relieved, Commander,”_ he says, and the collar opens with a faint click.

Sendak’s eyes widen as he raises his hand to pull the device away from his neck. He’s just as surprised as Lotor is that he’s gone through with it. He crushes the collar in his prosthetic hand, and when he looks up his eyes are dark.

Lotor takes an involuntary step backwards as Sendak advances, and then Sendak’s got him by the throat and is shoving him towards the dining table to bend him over it and rip away his gauzy garments. He fucks Lotor like that, fast and brutal, and this time Lotor doesn’t bother trying to stifle his moans, his screams.

Later, when they’re in bed, Lotor is surprised when Sendak wraps and arm around his waist and drags him closer, curling up around his back.

“Isn’t that so much better,” he purrs and Lotor shudders against him.

He has other failsafes in place, other contingencies. If Sendak really had turned on him, Lotor would have been able to handle it. But maybe Sendak knows as much, he’s clearly smarter than he looks. Maybe he’s just biding his time, maybe he’ll turn on Lotor yet.

This thing between them is just as dangerous as before, but it’s _exciting_ now and Lotor finds himself smirking.

“Yes darling,” he says. “Yes, I find this new arrangement much more to my liking.”

 

_fin._

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr at [barbitone](http://barbitone.tumblr.com/) and pillowfort also at [barbitone](https://www.pillowfort.io/barbitone)


End file.
